Blasting explosive



v is

Patented Jan, 39, 3334 release snes'rme sxrsosrvs' Willard de'C. Crater, Snccasunna, N. 3., assignor to Hercules Powder Company, Wilmington,

Bel a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application November 22, 1930 Serial No. 437.608

8 Claims; (01. 52-5) My invention relates to an improvement in blasting explosives. As is well known, blasting explosives generally include nitroglycerin as an ingredient. Certain blasting explosives are composed largely of nitroglycerin in association with,

for example, ammonium nitrate and somecarbonaceous material as, for example, wood fibre.

Certain other blasting explosives comprise principally ammonium nitrate, an oxidizing salt and a carbonaceous material with a small quantity of nitroglycerin as a sensitizer.

It is well recognized that the nitroglycerin containing blasting explosives, while having the desired sensitivity, power, etc., are objectionable for a number of reasons,' primarily in that the nitroglycerin will freeze, rendering the blasting explosive insensitive, and in that the nitroglycerin on detonation gives off noxious fumes which are dangerous to human life, which are required to be dispersed and which, even in small quantities, will cause severe headache. Nitroglycerin is further disadvantageous more especially in those blasting explosives in which it. is contained in small quantity and primarily for the purpose of sensitizing the dynamite, since it is in liquid form and becomes absorbed by the carbonaceous material in s eh blasting explosives, which as a result lose sen itivity to a point rendering their tdetonation by the ordinary blasting c'apuncer- Now in accordance with my invention, I have found that nitrolactose may be substituted for nitroglycerin in blasting explosives of the character heretofore comprising nitroglycerin as an blasting explosive will be proof against freezing and will not give oil the noxious vapors given ofi' by nitroglycerin. Further, my improved ;-blastin g explosive will be found advantageous 5o'. 'in.ca ses, where dynamite of low density is rei ed, since with the same ingredients my imip'r dfblasting explosive, will be of a substantiallyflower -density than nitroglycerin blasting 1 exiilojsive. Lactose, or sugar, .as is well known is proingredient. Further that where for any reason as a complete substitute for nitroglycerin,,the,

duced, for example, from the whey of cheese factories and may be purchased in the market. Nitrolactose, as is well known, is produced by nitrating lactose with suitable nitrating mixture, for example, a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids.

In preparing blasting explosives in accordance with my invention the nitrolactose, in solid form as it is produced, may be admixed with such other ingredients, as explosive salts, oxidizing salts, car- 35 bonaceous material, etc., etc. as may be required to make up the particular type of blasting explosive desired. If desired, the nitrolactose may be incorporated with such other ingredients as are used in the form of a solution in a nitrotoluol as, for example, dinitrotoluol, mononitrotoluol, trinitrotoluol, or the like, or mixtures thereof. Further, if desired, the nitrolactose may be admixed with the other ingredients in the form of a unit compolmd with, for example, trinitrotoluol, dinitrotoluol, etc. obtained by crystallizing the nitrolactose together with the nitrotoluol from a common solvent or, if desired, the nitrolactose may be impregnated into the carbonaceous material either alone or with some other substance as, for example, a nitrotoluol, by dissolving the nitrolactose or nitrolactose and nitrotoluol in a solvent, saturating the carbonaceous material with the solution and evaporating off the solvent.

'In preparing blasting explosives in accordance with my invention, the nitrolactose may be incorporated with any of the usual ingredients of blasting explosives as, for example, explosive salts as ammonium nitrate, oxidizing salts, as sodium nitrate, and various carbonaceous materials; as wood flour or sawdust including low density woods, as balsa or bonga wood, ivory meal, pulp, oat hulls, bagasse, etc. Where the nitrolactose is included in a blasting explosive in the solid form as made, the nitrolactose is admixed'with the several other ingredients of the blasting explosive in any usual. and well known manner. Where the nitrolactose is incorporated in solution in a nitrotoluol the solution is readily formed by mixing nitrolactose and the desired nitrotoluol in, for example, a jacketed mixer, as a Talley mixer, and subsequently incorporated with the other desired ingredients.

Again, where it is desired to incorporate nitrolactose as a unit compound with a nitrotoluol, as TNT, DNT, etc. the two are dissolved in a common solvent, as acetone, ether, methyl alcohol, it being desirable for convenience to utilize a solvent in which nitrolactose is highly soluble, and then crystallized as a unit compound 'therefraw. 1

' terial 20% NH4NO3 73% NaNOs. 5% carbonaceous material (wood pulp) 2% Similarly, where it is desired to impregnate the nitrol'actose into the carbonaceous material,

either alone or in admixture with some other substance, as for example, a nitrotoluol, such may be accomplished by preparing a suitable solution of the nitrolactose in a solvent, as acetone, ether, methyl alcohol, or the like, saturating the car= 1 bonaceous material with the solution and evap-= crating off the solvent.

explosive may beproduced in accordance with the following formula: v

Nitrolactose 25% NH4N0 NaNC an 'nu; 6% carbonaceous material 4% Blasting explosives involving nitrolactose and TNT, for example, crystallized as a unit compound from a solvent may be produced in accordance with the following formula:

Nitrolactase-TNT--- 25%- NH4NO3 l -Z 13% Nanci"; carbonaceous material (wood pulp) 2% Where it is desired to use nitrqlactos'e and a I nitrotoluol, as TNT separately, a blasting explosive may be produced in accordance withthe above formula utilizing 12.5% of nitrolactose and,

12.5% TNT, as hasbeen'indicated.

As illustrative of a blasting explosive containing carbonaceous material impregnated with. nitrolactose, a desirable blasting explosive may be produced in accordance with the following formula:

Nitrolactose impregnated carbonaceous ma- The impregnated carbonaceous material, which may, for example, be balsa wood, may be of the following composition: Nitrolactose a 78.26% DNT 8.70% Balsa wood f 13.4

The impregnatiomof balsa wood may *be accomplished, for example, by dissolving the nitrolactose and DNT in, for example, acetone, saturat-- ing the. balsa wood with the solution and drying at a temperature ofsay 110 F.

.In the practical adaptation of my invention nitrolactose may be substituted ,for nitroglycerin in blasting explosives which contain carbonaceous material impregnated with, for example, an explosive salt, as ammonium nitrate, the impregnation having been effected, for example, by fusing the ammonium nitrate at a relatively low temperature with a salt containing water of crystallization, saturating the carbonaceous material with the solution formed by release of water of crystallization and cooling.

As illustrative of the practicalembodiment of my invention, for example, a desirable blasting crystalline form and a nitrated toluol.

It will be understood that in accordance with my invention Icontemplate the use of nitrolactose as a substitute for nitroglycerin in any form of blasting explosive, that is to say, with any uual or deired blasting explosive ingredients, as for example, other explosive substances, oxidizing substances, carbonaceous material, etc. Further, that I contemplate the use of nitrolactose in the form in. which it is made, as crystallized from a solution alone or as a unit compound with some other substance, or in any other de sired manner. It will be understood that I also contemplate the use of nitrolactose in admix- "ture with other desired ingredients, impregnated in carbonaceous material or in admixture with other ingredients or in solution in, for example,

a nitrotoluol.

It will be understood that the blasting explosive in accordance with my invention and as hereinafter claimed will be free from any substantial amount'of nitroglycerin, that is to say, any such amount of nitroglycerin the presence of which would on freezing deleteriously efiect the blasting explosive or the presence of which would on detonation produce any material amount of noxious fumes. It will be understood that in accordance with my invention I contemplate the substitutionof nitrolactose for nitroglycerin, but that I contemplate as within the.

'3. A blasting explosive including as ingredients-nitrolactose in crystalline form and a carbonaceous material containing an-explosive substance in intra-cellular relation.

4. A blasting explosive including ,as'ingredients carbonaceous material containing nitrolactose in crystalline form and an explosive substance in intracellular relation. v

5. A blasting explosive including as ingredients carbonaceous material containing nitrolactose in crystalline form in intracellular relation.

6. A blasting explosive including as ingredients nitrolactose in crystalline form and a nitrated toluol.

7. A blasting explosive including as ingredients a carbonaceous material, nitrolactose in 8.'A blasting explosive including as ingredients a carbonaceous material containing nitrolactose in crystalline form and a nitrated toluol in intracellular relation.

WILLARD on C. CRATER. 

